


Hello, old friend

by EliolovesOliver



Series: SLOWBURN? MORE LIKE SLOWLEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF AMMIRITE!?! [13]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Crying, Dance Dance Revolution - Freeform, Depression, Duke's back!, Gen, Mental Illness, Sadness, everything is sad, good vibes, nothing is good it the world, so family, super wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EliolovesOliver/pseuds/EliolovesOliver
Summary: Duke's back!
Relationships: Stephanie Brown & Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Duke Thomas & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Barbara Gordon
Series: SLOWBURN? MORE LIKE SLOWLEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF AMMIRITE!?! [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1410814
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	Hello, old friend

**Author's Note:**

> Suffer.

"DDUUUKKEEE!!!!"

Said teen sighed as Dick squeezed the life out of him.

"Duke!"

His eye twitched and he took a deep breath when Jason ran at them and joined Dick in his attempt to murder their brother with love.

"Tt." 

Duke couldn't help the chuckle as Damian wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. He smiled when he felt Tim come up behind Damian and hugged him, essentially trapping a content Damian between the two.

"Hey guys. What'd I miss?"

They broke away and started talking over each other.

"Oh man-"

"Well see-"

"Drake attempted to kill himself."

Everyone paused and Jason glared at Damian while Tim just snorted.

"Yeah, pretty sure he heard about that. He called me when he found out and I had to beg him to stay and check out Chicago U."

Duke rolled his eyes and muttered, "More like guilt tripped me into staying. Tim here figures that if I go out and get an education maybe Bruce will let him slip through the cracks without one."

"God knows there's enough of us for that plan to actually work." Jason snarked.

Duke jumped when he felt a sharp poke at his back.

Cass tilted her head up at the new arrival, taking in his blue vest pulled over a white shirt and the slightly fearful look in his eyes. She continued to study him in silence for a moment, kind of freaking him out with her intense yet curious gaze.

She moved her hands in what Duke assumed was the word she rasped vocally.

"Brother?"

Duke grinned a bit with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm Duke. I saw you on the-"

Duke lost his breath from the impact of Cass' hug. He wrapped his arms around her even though he was genuinely starting to see spots.

He wondered if he was hallucinating Bruce with that disgustingly sappy smile or if the man had honestly just shed a tear at having his kids not fighting and trying to murder one another.

The last thing he remembered before he passed out from lack of air was Dick slotting in behind him like an overly seductive lover and whispering tenderly into his ear, 

"We missed you, middle D."

...

Jason had a field day with that one.

...

"Hahaha! That is so fucked up! You gayed OUR BROTHER into passing out."

"You weren't complaining last night when Dick spooned you from behind, Jay."

"Oh my gOD SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU CREEPY LITTLE STALKER!"

...

Tim pressed a thumb to the space between his eyes connected to his nose as Steph and Jay ganged up against Cass and Dick in an intense game of Dance Dance Revolution. Damian was silently sketching Duke who was much more invested in destroying Jason's high score in some game on his phone. 

Tim felt restless. And agitated. He didn't know what to do, didn't even know where this feeling was coming from. He was just feeling... feelings, but like, really intensely. He wished his siblings were elsewhere so he could spend some time alone with Steph, she could always get him out of his funk. But alas, his family officially loved her, the girl who threw a brick at their precious, fragile brothers face. Traitors.

Tim stood and walked to the doorway, stopping momentarily to see if anyone noticed he'd moved. No one looked up or acknowledged his absence. Just like old times. Yay.

Tim hated himself for being such a self-pitying loser. He sighed and walked out the door, deciding to face the world on his own. He'd been planning on dealing with Gotham city by himself for a while now, he'd always had a before after the whole suicide attempt deal but had never ventured off on his own, too scared of reporters or nosey civilians. (And those few freaks on social media that said they would be glad to help him achieve his goal next time.)

...

And somehow he'd ended up here, at Babs' place.

He'd knocked on her door and when she'd answered-when she saw his face, she had ushered him inside with a small bittersweet smile.

"Tim, talk to me buddy, I know it's hard but just... just say something. Please. You've been staring blankly for about 20 minutes at nothing and your tea is getting cold."

Tim blinked languidly.

"Sorry, Babs I- I should go-"

"Tim. Stop, just, tell me what you need right now."

Tim though about that for a minute, honestly uncertain and the thought of not even knowing what he wanted, what he needed anymore, that scared him quite a bit.

"I don't- Babs I don't know what I want anymore. Who am I, even? Who is Tim Drake? I just- I... can you just," Tim was startled realize that tears were streaming down his face. "Can you just hold me for a while?"

And Babara, with tears on her own face and a heartbroken look in her eyes did just that.

...

When Tim woke up it was to Bruce cradling him to his chest, tears rolling over his cheeks and sobs wracking his body.

Tim started crying again too.

...

Kon took a deep breath and punched his thigh lightly as he made his way up to Wayne Manor. He nibbled his lip harshly as he thought about what kind of shit excuse he was gonna give Tim for avoiding him. He felt like a total garbage friend for just asking the guy out and then dodging him for so long. But he was nervous, and upset. He wasn't sure how Tim would feel now that he knew Kon kind of had a thing for him.

He reached the door much sooner than anticipated. 

"Okay Kon, you can do this."

He reached out a hand to knock on the door but it was already being opened. 

Dick looked at Kon like a deer stuck in head lights and Kon couldn't help but wonder if he knew Kon wanted to bone his little brother.

"Kon. Hey."

"Uh, hey Dick. Um. Is Tim home, 'cause I really need to talk to him."

Dick shifted the backpack strap over his shoulder as he pursed his lips.

"Conner, Tim is- Tim checked himself into Arkam Asylum."

**Author's Note:**

> Idk it was just too happy so far I guess.


End file.
